Condiment Conundrum
The other morning, I scrambled some eggs in a wide bowl, dunked slices of bread in it, fried them until they were nice and crisp, and served them for breakfast. My wife called it “Eggy Bread” and put ketchup on them, while I called it French Toast, and had it with butter and maple syrup.
It’s one of the stranger food-differences I find here in Britain, but I have to agree with my wife on this one. After all, I eat Scrambled Eggs on Toast (one of the many “…on Toast” dishes available in the UK) and happily put ketchup on that. In fact, the thought of putting maple syrup on it make me as nauseous as putting ketchup on what I call French Toast.
However, this leads me to believe that there must be a point at which the addition of more scramble egg turns French Toast into Eggs on Toast, and changes the condiment choice from syrup to ketchup. Or is there a grey area, where you might be confused as to which one to use, a sort of Condiment Conundrum Zone?
I suppose I could experiment by mixing more and more scrambled egg into my French Toast to see when I decide I need ketchup, but I think I’ll just keep both condiments handy, and enjoy them appropriately with either heavily-egged, or lightly-egged, bread, and consign the Condiment Conundrum Zone to that place where unsolved mysteries of the universe dwell.
11 Comments
Leon Winnert
Have you consider Brown Sauce.? The HP brand preferably.
MikeH
On French Toast?
I have tried HP Brown Sauce. I think it’s an acquired taste.
Steve Gillen
Hi Mike, on our recent visit to the USA whilst we mostly stayed with family, on a few occasions we visited friends and needed an overnight stay as it was too.long a drive back for one day. We tended to stay at the local Holiday Inn express as we have a “frequent customer membership with them. Breakfast options were the usual Smerican foods eggs being exclusively scrambled. I somehow got into the habit of having scrambled egg on toast with…….. Salsa on it! It was wonderful! Dough soninhave made it again now I’m back home. Try it, you might be surprised.
Steve
MikeH
Salsa on scrambled eggs sounds good, but not on French Toast 😉
Ted Ropple
“As God intended”, indeed. Never could buy into ketchup on eggs.
It makes me wonder what might happen to a Monte Cristo sandwich over there…………..
Nicky Huskinson
Both options are good tbh. Even better with bacon on the side.
I’d probably go with maple syrup, but if it were accompanied by sausages or mushrooms, for example, I’d revert to tomato sauce. Or maybe Mrs Balls chutney.
I’m going to have to Google what a Monte Cristo sandwich is now. I’ve learnt what a Reuben is, but we Brits don’t name our sandwiches other than to describe the contents, so it’s all a bit of a mystery.
Nicky Huskinson
Also, tomato sauce on scrambled egg? Ew. Just pure eggs for me, thank you.
Ted Ropple
A Monte Cristo is basically a ham & cheese sandwich between two slices of Mike’s “Eggy Bread”. Not as popular today as in the olden days. Some folks make them with mayonaise ‘tween the ham and the cheese.
Tony Felgate
So a Monte Cristo is a ham and cheese toastie? Or, as the french prefer to say, a Croque Monsieur?
I do enjoy how our american cousins come up with different combinations of food. I was in North Carolina once and hds bison steak with a coffee sauce – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, it was delicious!
Benny Coxhill
God intended ketchup on the eggy bread. But, you have an point, you wouldn’t think of ketchup on pancakes, would you.
Karen Jones
I’m Mike’s West Coast pen pal: I think he’s writing his books for me, not his grandkids! Oh: the topic. Sandwiches!
The Reuben was invented in Omaha, about 90 miles from my hometown in Nebraska, the Beef State. Corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, 1000 Island Dressing on toasted dark rye or Russian rye bread. Served hot.
Makes Nebraskan’s legs sturdy enough to stand up to the constant wind. (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.) Great pub about 6 minutes from my home in the Rogue Valley that makes a great Reuben. I order it with sweet potato fries: French fries made out of sweet potatoes! Dip in honey mustard salad dressing.
Come on over! I’ll take you there!
Not a fan of ketchup on eggs. Ketchup is for dipping french fries… My Vote: halved lengthwise, sliced bananas with a splash of kahlua, warmed in the microwave, served with whipped cream is the best way to eat pancakes or French toast. Off to the kitchen….